Live blog of the PN mass meeting in Zabbar

Welcome to our live blog of the Nationalist Party's first mass meeting, in Siggiewi. REFRESH here to update the stream.

5:23pm That's all for today...the crowd is once again singing along to the PN theme songs and seems intent on partying on for a while...wish us luck in getting home soon...roads must be clogged all around Zabbar. Thanks for following...keep yourself updated by visiting www.maltatoday.com.mt

5:20pm "Let us work together, let us work hard for the coming six weeks to celebrate another victory together and create a safe and secure future, together." Gonzi ends his speech by firing up the crowd at his feet by merging the 2008 PN slogan "Together everything is possible" to the 2013 "A safe and secure future" slogan.  

5:18pm "Do not trust Labour" Gonzi warns the crowd as he reminds the crowd of Labour's past fiascos in removing VAT and proposing a repeater class for school children. Labour's energy proposal will increase utility bills, Gonzi says as he accuses Muscat of running away from his responsabilities by claiming that he will resign if the energy plans fail.

5:14pm Gonzi earns a standing ovation from the candidates and young people seated behind him and the huge crowd in Zabbar after mentioning the PN administration's investments in education including stipends and the new million-euro campus at the Mcast in Paola which had been closed down by a Labour government.

5:12pm Turning to the governmnet's record in health services, Gonzi says his administration not only put in place the best possible health services but created a clean environment and open spaces which can be enjoyed by all families.  

5:09pm As darkness decends on the streets in Zabbar, Gonzi fires-up the crowd by hailing the 4,000 yearly graduates from University and Mcast and says "We have created 20,000 jobs in the last five years and we will create even more in the next five years."

5:06pm Gonzi says the Labour Party is fake while the PN is the "genuine article."

5:04pm The PM says Muscat is not being sincere and is "using" cancer to create fear in the residents of Marsaxlokk and adjacent areas. He says this is "shameful" and rarely did he see anyone stoop so low to win votes.

5:01pm Gonzi says that Muscat's idea to emulate Cyprus might be that of building a gas power plant like the one in Cyprus which exploded and ran havoc in the country's economy. Gonzi says building two massive gas tanks next to a power plant could will create unessecery risks.

4:59pm On Muscat's decision to refuse to face Gonzi on television programme Xarabank on 1 March, the PN leader says that Muscat is afraid of facing the truth. He adds that Muscat has so far failed to answer in what direction he will take the country. "Labour will drive the country into a brick wall and we will not let this happen."

4:56pm On 9 March you will decide who is best equipped to manage the economy. You cannot choose a party that will endanger the country's economy by experimenting..."the best choice is the PN"

4:53pm "Every choice we have taken was in your best interest" Gonzi tells the crowd, which is following its leader's address in silence.

4:51pm Gonzi insists that the PN stands for a clear path forward while Labour is an unknown quantity which does not know in what direction it wants to take the country.

4:48pm Labour was the only Socialist party in Europe to oppose EU membership and was a shame for the country..."The PN makes the country proud, Labour is an emberessment."

4:45pm "Do not fear the future. We will emerge victorious in the past and we will emerge victorious in the future" Gonzi goes on to remind that the PN obtained EU membership, dignity, a good international reputation and a safe and secure economy.

4:42pm "The PN can proudly face you with the results achieved in the past five years, achieved by yourselves in education, health, tourism, job creation. Very few countries can boast of such a record in the past few years. The PN offered a safe and secure past, present and future."

4:38pm "The PN is the author of the country's golden chapters of its history. Unlike Labour we are not ashamed of our past..." Echoing a Ziggy Marley classic, Gonzi adds that you cannot know your future unless you know your past.

4:35pm Gonzi says the PN will answer to the young people's call for a Nationalist victory with determination and energy.

4:32pm Busuttil ends his speech with an appeal to vote PN on 9 March to confirm a secure and safe future...Robert Sammut and Dun Karm Psaila's National Anthem is now being played...a signal that PN leader Lawrence Gonzi will address the crowd within seconds.

4:28pm The PN might lack Labour's cash to finance a glossy campaigtn, however it has the ideas, the determination, the will, the responsability, the right direction Busuttil says. He also appeals to Labour to retract its energy plan and avoid repeating past fiascos such as when it opposed EU membership, the Euro and introduced 33 new taxes to replace VAT.

4:23pm Busuttil says Labour leader Joseph Muscat dresses, speaks and acts like a Nationalist and attempted to create a fake copy of the Nationalist Party. "We are the real Nationalist Party. If the choice is between a a fake PN and a real PN, then the choice on 9 March is simple, vote for the real deal." 

4:22pm "Malta is the exception in the Mediterranean..." Busuttil says as he stresses the difference in the country's fortunes when compared with neighbouring countries who had to cut jobs, social benefits, increase taxes and face unprecedented economic woes.

4:19pm The PN deputy leader harps on the importance of being "Maltese and European" adding that the PN will build upon its record of social justice and sound economic management.

4:16pm Busuttil says the PN will announce its plans for the next five years in the coming days. "The PN will hold the country's interest before the party's interests."

4:14pm "The PN is the only party which can offer you a guarantee of a safe and secure future. Only the PN can guranatee that what you hold dearest, education, jobs and health care, are safe and secure."

4:11pm No problem Jose...the PN technicians are on the ball...sound is back. Busuttil says country must choose who should be Malta's pilot on 9 March...he adds that the PN have a trusted pilot in Lawrence Gonzi who can rely on a crew of weathered seamen.

4:08pm Busuttil kicks off his address with the legendry opening line 'Maltese and Gozitan brothers and sisters' followed by 'my European brothers and sisters.' This provokes the loudest cheer of the day so far. Oops...we have just lost the sound in the journalists' zone.

4:03pm The cheers are getting louder, if that is humanely possible as Lawrence Gonzi and his wife Kate make their way on stage. A sea of traditional PN flags and the customory EU flags greet the two as the crowd is once again singing along to the 2013 campaign theme song 'Futur fis-sod', a song destined to enter PN folklore if it turns out to be the soundtrack to a fourth consecutive PN victory.

4:01pm After being treated to the new campaign song 'Futur fis-sod' the crowd greet Simon Busuttil on stage with a loud cheer. The newly elected deputy leader will be addressing a mass meeting for the first time in his new role.

3:57pm The meeting, expected to start in a few minutes will be addressed by PN leader Lawrence Gonzi and deputy leader Simon Busuttil. For the time being the crowd is being entertained with past and present PN campaign theme songs.

3:52pm PN leader Lawrence Gonzi's wife is present backstage together with other candidates and PN officials. Former PN secretary-general and architect of the 2008 election victory Joe Saliba is also present, his first public appearance since the start of the campaign.

3:49pm PN deputy leader Simon Busuttil walked past us a few minutes ago and made his way to a trailer behind the stage where he will go through the last preparations before addressing the crowd.

3:44pm Welcome from the PN Zabbar mass-meeting. We are sitting under a tent behind the stage and for the time being cannot see much of the crowd, however the deafening noise reaching us backstage and the few glimpses we've had indicate that a huge crowd is in Zabbar for the PN's first mass-meeting of the 2013 campaign.